What you almost never know is if it is a players choice or a coaches choice. Sometimes we are blaming a coach when they really should be commended. It swings both ways. When playing time is not an issue, it is an indication that there is some other problems beneath the surface. Those problems can be coach centric, player centric, or a combination.
It's easy to look at the transfer list and think, 'WOW, that guy could be a star at my school'. I know that I look at that list and see a large number of 3 and 4 star guys who are not working out at the school where they signed. There is some potential talent out there. What you don't know is the underlying problems that caused the transfer. It could be nothing or it could be a deal killer. Any way you cut it, I'm sure that many of those kids wind up with very few options. That is why some highly talented players can wind up in the least expected places.
Some guys that come to mind, from the past, Rico Washington, and Stan Rose. There were others, I'm just not recalling all of the names right now.